AIA Minneapolis, Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission, and Preserve Minneapolis announce five recipients of the 2023 Minneapolis Preservation Awards. Join us March 15, 2023 at the Capri Theater to recognize the winning projects and celebrate the best in preservation. Learn more and register to attend this free event!

This year’s recipients represent accomplishments in historic restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and individual career achievement.

Historic Restoration, Rehabilitation or Adaptive Reuse

Duffey Lofts

BKV Group; Cedar Street Companies; RJM Construction; Hess, Roise and Company; S&J Companies

After nearly a decade’s worth of time, and countless runs by development teams to solve the three connected but disparate buildings, the former Duffey Paper Company complex finally received its due reward. In the heart of Minneapolis’ Warehouse Historic District, Duffey Lofts has arrived as a fresh, transformative, contemporary, mixed-use development and is a prime example of historic preservation that embraces the whole of a building’s story.

Historic Fort Snelling

LEO A DALY, Mortenson, MOCA Systems, 106 Group, TEN x TEN, Quinn Evans, New History, Meyer Borgman Johnson, Minnesota Historical Society

This multi-year project to re-envision the visitor experience at Historic Fort Snelling included the rehabilitation of a 1904 barracks building to serve as the new Plank Museum & Visitor Center, demolition of a 1980s underground visitor center to allow for the rehabilitation of the landscape to emphasize stunning river overlooks, and expanded interpretive spaces, scenic walking paths, enhanced accessibility, and improved parking.

The Abbey

Sentinel Management Company; W+Noordijk, Inc.; Yellow Tree Development;  Yellow Tree Construction; DJR Architecture, Inc.; Studio BV; Paulson and Clark Engineering; LHB

The Abbey, is a combination of a rehabilitation of a landmark historic mansion, the H. Alden Smith House, and new six-story apartment building with a one-story link connecting the two structures. Located on the edge of Loring Park, this project is exemplary of how a historic landmark can be restored to its original beauty yet adapted for modern use.

Steve Murray Award

Judge LaJune Lange

Judge Lange is a fierce and tireless advocate, committed to daylighting significant people, places, and events that celebrate Black heritage and have not been recognized by the preservation community. Her preservation work is grounded in her deep community connections, as a lifelong Minneapolitan; her tenacious approach to research, often looking for information that is not easily located; and her persistence to bring the right people to the table.

Councilwoman Lisa Goodman

Since 1998, Minneapolis City Councilwoman Lisa Goodman has worked to preserve, protect, and defend historic buildings in Minneapolis. For 25 years she has helped save nearly 200 historic buildings in Minneapolis through negotiations to save buildings, recruitment of new owners, made deals to move buildings, or incorporate them into new developments, advocating for tax increment financing, resolving regulatory or code compliance issues, and rallying around historic buildings in Minneapolis.

About the Partners

AIA Minneapolis

AIA Minneapolis is the largest of three local chapters of AIA Minnesota with more than 1,600 members. Centered in Minneapolis, the chapter territory includes the southwestern portion of the state. As a large chapter, AIA Minneapolis participates with other large chapters nationwide to focus attention on significant issues facing members. The chapter provides leadership, networking, and outreach opportunities for its members.

Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission

The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) was formed in 1972 to serve as a citizen advisory body to the Minneapolis City Council. The HPC is part of a nation-wide network of groups dedicated to the preservation and celebration of our local and national heritage. The Commission holds public hearings on matters related to preservation twice each month. Projects that come before the commission are administered through professional preservation-planning staff in the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department (CPED). These meetings are specifically held so that the Commission can hear from the public on matters related to heritage preservation. The public is welcome to attend and highly encouraged to participate.

Preserve Minneapolis

Preserve Minneapolis is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Minneapolis by recognizing, preserving, and revitalizing the architectural and related cultural resources of the city of Minneapolis. Founded in 2003, the group was originally brought together to attract the 2007 National Trust for Historic Preservation conference to the Twin Cities. Preserve Minneapolis hosts monthly discussions and tours highlighting preservation activities in Minneapolis.